Jurgen Klopp reveals the Liverpool player who he turned so many offers for in the summer

Jurgen Klopp saluted Luke Chambers after the Liverpool youngster made his full debut in the Europa League victory over Toulouse.

With Andy Robertson sidelined for what could be three months with a shoulder injury, Kostas Tsimikas was rested for the Group E clash against the French side at Anfield last night. That gave an opportunity for Chambers, who has been with the club since the age of six and is highly rated in the academy ranks.

The 19-year-old came off the bench in last month’s Carabao Cup win over Leicester City but featured for Klopp’s side from the outset for the first time in his career. And he helped deliver a 5-1 win, with Liverpool taking another step towards the knockout stage of the Europa League.

Chambers spent the second half of last season on loan at Scottish side Kilmarnock, while Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen were linked with him in the summer transfer window, among others. And Klopp admitted he never considered allowing the England youth international to depart.

The Liverpool manager said: “Luke had a long injury. He had a really good year last year in Scotland, was a lot of interest there in the summer but I didn't blink for a second and then I thought, 'Oh come on, let him go.' Because I really think that in the moment our under-23s when they are all together, that's a super-strong side and that's important as well. And they train with us.

“The session we had yesterday, the minus-one session, a proper minus-one session – in the longer period between Premier League and the Europa League then you have a proper session – you don't get that somewhere, this quality, and stuff like this. So it's really important that the boys go through that as well. Pleased for him. I wouldn't say Luke is in the moment in a top, top, top shape because of the injury and because of another little setback. But we 100 per cent believe in him and trust him, and I wanted to show that tonight.”

Klopp also handed debuts to Calum Scanlon, who replaced Chambers, and James McConnell off the bench against Toulouse. And he’s encouraged by the promising prospects coming through the ranks, with Jarell Quansah also coming on while Ben Doak and Bobby Clark missed out through injury.

He added: On the position the next one is knocking on the door with Calum. Everybody could see a really exciting player, had a few situations where he was maybe too excited, but a real talent, a real talent and a real heart for football. And James played a sensational pre-season for us. We gave him a new position, put him on the six, and he did really well there because he's very smart and he deserves it as well.

“If Ben Doak would have been available tonight, he would have got minutes, like Bobby Clark probably would have minutes, so that's how it is. And we should not forget Jarell Quansah, who played again. So a lot of good boys coming up and it's not enough that I tell them what they do from time to time – not too often but from time to time – but sometimes you have to show it. Tonight we had the opportunity to do so and we did, and that's good.”